Summerland Landfill recognized for oil collection work

Summerland’s landfill has received provincial recognition for its return facility for used oil and antifreeze.

The B.C. Used Oil Management Association listed the landfill as one of 30 organizations in the province to receive the award for top collector.

“We are extremely proud of these 30 B.C. used oil recycling facilities that received the top collector award,” said David Lawes, Executive Director of the B.C. Used Oil Management Association “They all took the necessary steps to ensure that their used oil recycling infrastructures are easy to use, convenient and environmentally friendly.”

The not-for-profit group announced the oil collection awards to promote the work being done by organizations collecting used oil and antifreeze.

“We launched the top collectors recognition program to thank the dedicated RCF operators for participating in our program, and to create enthusiasm amongst the RCF staff for doing what can sometimes be a messy job,” Lawes said.

Other Okanagan Valley facilities to be recognized include Great Canadian Oil Change and Desert Cardlock Fuel Services Ltd. in Kelowna and Interior Freight and Bottle Depot Ltd. in Vernon.

Officials with the Used Oil Management Association say there is a market for used oil.

It can be re-refined into new lubricating oil and used as a fuel in pulp mills, cement plants and asphalt plants. In addition, vehicle maintenance facilities, vehicle owners and machinery maintenance operations which use oil can also use re-refined oil.

Each year, roughly 50 million litres of oil and three million litres of antifreeze are collected at 300 public collection facilities and more than 4,000 generators across the province.